


Unusual Love Story

by TellyLikesPudding



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Cinderella AU, Highschool AU, I'm proud, Jarvis is Tony's butler, Kinda, M/M, actually, boo - Freeform, its cool, loki is a little shit, the Warriors three are bullies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-05 15:42:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 14,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4185510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TellyLikesPudding/pseuds/TellyLikesPudding
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Aren't you cold?" Loki's eyes snapped up from his book, vivid green and slightly discerning in the moonlight. The light reflected on his pale skin, casting shadows over the sharp angles of his face. Green eyes met brown and Loki bit back an insult with a surprised gasp.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Eyre Affair

Loki grumbled irritably as the base from the blaring music downstairs seemed to shake his bedroom. Stupid Thor with his stupid friends and their stupid parties. The black haired teen rolled over, pulling his pillow over his ears to block out the noise. This method was apparently ineffectual, doing little to even muffle the unnecessarily loud proceedings.

Loki sighed as he sat up sleepily, patting the soft black kitten on his pillow. He yawned deeply, pulling on his black combat boots and tucking in the bottoms of his pyjamas. He slowly opened his window, cautiously glancing around for any observers before carefully manoeuvering himself onto the sturdy branch of the oak tree right outside his room.

Loki climbed expertly down the tree, taking off into the frigid winter air as soon as his booted feet touched the ground. When he finally stopped he was standing in a park next to a lake blocked off by a fence. One solitary street lamp fluttered, illuminating the place in an eerie glow.

Loki slid easily between the broken planks in the fence and made his way to his favourite spot by the secluded shimmering lake. He kneeled in the damp grass under a tall willow tree, reaching under a certain knot in the wood and extracting a book. The teen sighed as he rested his back against the tree, beginning to read silently. He was well into the story when a voice wrenched him from his minds eye.

"Aren't you cold?" Loki's eyes snapped up from his book, vivid green and slightly discerning in the moonlight. The light reflected on his pale skin, casting shadows over the sharp angles of his face. Green eyes met brown and Loki bit back an insult with a surprised gasp.

There before him was Anthony Stark, famous for his money, his attitude, his charm, and his genius. There he stood, appropriately bundled up in his usual leather jacket, torn up red and yellow hoodie, frayed jeans, brown fingerless gloves, and worker boots, his dark brown hair tussled expertly. His large warm eyes glanced fleetingly over Loki's form, dressed only in a black tank top, green and black flannel pyjama bottoms, and black combat boots.

"If you stay out here like that for too long you could catch your death," Stark said with an air of humour. Loki simply nodded, his voice caught in his throat. For fear of making a fool of himself, he simply stared down at his book, pretending to read. Why would Anthony Stark be interested in him? Maybe he saw him climb out his window. Would he tell Thor? If Thor knew of Loki sneaking out, he'd be bellowed at for hours.

Loki tensed when warm breath hit his cheek. He'd been so absorbed in his thoughts he hadn't realised Stark had come to kneel beside him. The young genius looked over his shoulder, reading the open page.

"What is this?" he inquired. Loki wordlessly showed him the cover of his book; Jane Eyre. Stark smirked. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as the romance type. You look more Lovecraftian to me.” Loki said nothing. “Well you’re quite the conversationalist,” Stark jibed, most likely as a cue for Loki to speak.

Uncomfortable silence stretched on for what seemed like forever before Anthony Stark sat beside Loki in the damp grass and began silently reading over his shoulder. Loki wordlessly flipped to the first page, beginning again.

“You don’t have to do that-” Stark was silenced by a long fingered hand in front of his face.

He sighed and stared at the page, leaning against the smooth trunk of the willow tree.

“Will you tell me your name?” he said suddenly. Loki glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, green eyes inquisitive. Silence fell between them as Stark waited. He sighed and finally spoke. "I’m guessing that’s a no… Will you at least read aloud?” Loki stared at Tony for a good while before simply turning back to read silently. Tony sighed as he continued to peer over Loki’s shoulder.

There they stayed for an hour, Loki reading and Tony watching him read. When at last Loki closed the book Tony looked up as if to ask why. Tony nodded in understanding as he realized he’d finished chapter five.

"Well, thanks for letting me creepily read over your shoulder. I never realised Jane Eyre was anything but a romance novel. It was good." Loki stayed silent as he kneeled and replaced the book back under the knot in the tree. Tony held out a gloved hand to the silent, thin boy. He hesitantly took it, allowing Tony to hoist him easily to his feet. Tony caught sight of the goose pimples littering the slim arms of his terse companion. He smirked as he pulled off his leather jacket, placing it over thin pale shoulders. Loki glanced at him questioningly before staring straight to the ground, looking frustrated as he couldn't quite hide the dusting of pink slowly spreading on his cheeks. "You looked cold," Tony stated, flashing the blushing boy a snarky grin. They stood in semi-comfortable silence for a little over a minute.

Loki opened his mouth to speak but abruptly closed it when his green eyes shot to the sky. The sun was rising. His eyes went wide with something tantamount to fear as he shrugged the leather coat quickly off his shoulders and all but sprinted away. "Hey!" Tony called to his swiftly retreating form, grabbing his coat off the leaf covered ground and running after him. He skidded as he turned a sharp corner leading from the park, halting to confusedly glance about him. Where the hell had he gone? Tony sighed as he walked back in the direction he'd gone, heading home. His entire walk back, no thought could distract him for long, the memory of those striking green eyes taking up permanent residence in his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's chapter one over with. Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Comment and Kudos because we adore feedback!
> 
> ~Mac and Al


	2. Knight in Shining Converse

Loki panted as he climbed into his open window, flopping gracelessly onto his bed. Without removing his boots he pulled the blankets up and feigned sleep. Right on schedule Thor barged into the room, his voice booming in the early morning air.

“Loki! Time to wake up!”

Loki groaned, pretending to be tired though his mind was very much awake. “Thor, it’s Sunday. What have we to do so early on a Sunday?” he grumbled.

“It isn’t that early, Loki. It’s only 06:00.” Loki rolled his eyes and snuggled further under his warm blankets. “Lokiiiiiii” Thor whined, shaking the thin boy’s legs. “I need to go to work and Mother and Father won’t let you stay home alone!”

“‘Why not?” Loki asked incredulously. Thor stared at him blankly.

“Loki… last time you were left at home alone you set the drapes on fire.”

Loki shrugged. “Fair enough.”

………

Loki sighed as he leaned against the front counter of Thor’s workplace. The Marvel Cafe was one of the most sought out places for coffee and sustenance, or so the moto said. Loki thought its popularity was mostly due to the people who worked there. First there was Thor, Captain of the Shield High School Wrestling Team. All brawn and no brain if you asked Loki, but no one asked Loki. Then there was Steve Rogers, Quarterback, all A student, and all around nice guy. Girls and boys alike seemed to flock to him, not only for his gorgeous face, (and arse), but for his loyal and friendly personality.

Maria Hill worked in the back, the silent but commanding Captain of the Winter Guard Team and student assistant to Principal Fury. With her sharp features and her athletic body, it was no wonder people wanted her attention. The Cafe has nearly 5 birthdays a day from people simply wanting her to come out from the back.

Loki sighed as he was shoved out of the way by Thor’s simpering fangirls. Thor shot him an apologetic look; Loki acknowledged him with a nod and went to sit in an armchair off in the corner. Thor was always preferred over Loki. Thor was friendly, golden, and handsome while Loki was spiteful, silver, and sinister. He sighed as he adjusted his black jacket and white button down shirt, brushing off his tight black jeans. He smiled softly when he glanced at his feet, seeing his own reflection in his well shined combat boots.

He pulled his book out of his leather messenger bag, flipping to the bookmarked page and beginning to read. As Loki began to get into the story, he barely registered the sound of giggling girls. He ignored the commotion and turned his page.

“What the hel kind of language is that?” asked a familiar voice.

 _‘Oh by the Norns,’_ Loki thought, wincing slightly. “It’s Norwegian,” he replied simply, schooling his expression into a cool glare. There was a soft snort before Loki felt a weight on the back of his chair.

“So Princess, where were you at the party last night?” asked another snide voice as the owner leaned against his chair.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business, Fandral.”

“Oh. He’s feisty today, isn’t he Fan?” Volstagg teased.

Fandral snickered and grabbed Loki’s book from his hands, holding it above his head as the green eyed teen jumped up to grab it. Loki was tall, nearly 6'2", but Fandral was taller by almost 2 inches.

“Fandral, give it back or I’ll-”

“You’ll what? Curse us?” Fandral snickered as he switched the book between his hands. The laughter only increased when Volstagg shoved Loki backwards. He yelped in alarm as he was sent over the arm of the chair, landing sideways with his legs over the edge. His foot collided with the table, sending a cup of tea flying to land on his chest, soaking his neck and shirt with the hot liquid. The two howled with obnoxious laughter along with a gaggle of girls surrounding them.

Suddenly the crowd was parted and hushed murmurs rang up as a new person appeared. Loki’s eyes went wide as they once again met the warm brown of one Tony Stark.

“Hey blondie. Give the guy his book and stop being an asshole, or I might just have to get unpleasant,” he commanded with a pointed look at Fandral. Fandral growled and reluctantly lowered the book, half handing half throwing it at Loki. Loki winced as the book smacked him across the face. Volstagg barked a laugh but was quickly hushed as Tony sent a cool glare his way.

Tony approached Loki and held out a hand. Loki stared at the offered gloved hand with wide eyes.

_“Just like last night… Why is he helping me…?”_

He hesitated before taking the offered hand, letting Tony Stark pull him up. Tony, though, didn’t release his hand once he was standing.

“The next time you guys wanna be assholes, do it in a more secluded area. Seriously. You’d think that’d be common sense,” Tony teased before pulling Loki along behind him and out the door.

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's chapter 2 finished. I hope you enjoyed it! It's all a bit wishy-washy right now. It reads like a teen drama. I'll fix that eventually. Maybe. 
> 
> ~Mac


	3. Sunsets and AC/DC

Loki numbly allowed Tony Stark to pull him into the back of an expensive car, watching him as he walked around to the other side and sat beside him. He spotted the shocked and slightly jealous faces of Fandral and Volstagg. He smirked and winked as Tony Stark laid his arm across Loki’s shoulders, rolling up the bullet proof windows.

“Onward Jarvis,” he said to seemingly no one.

“Yes Sir,” answered a voice from the front.

At Loki’s confused look, Tony explained, “That’s Jarvis. He was my dad’s butler.”

"I am now Anthony's Butler," said the voice from the front.

"You're a friend, Jarv, not a server."

Loki nodded and stared straight ahead, staying completely still. “You ok Snow White?” Tony asked, looking intently at Loki. Loki raised his eyebrow and stared at Tony.

"What? Snow White?" Tony interpreted. "Ah. That's what I'm calling you until you tell me your name." Loki opened his mouth to argue but quickly closed it. Tony seemed disappointed when he didn't answer.

"Or do you wanna be called something else?" The 'like your name' went unsaid. Silence passed between them before Tony nodded. “Alright then. Snow White it is.”

………

The car ride was mostly silent, Tony occasionally whistling or tapping on his leg. They finally arrived to their destination, the park where he'd last met him. Loki's face took on a pink tinge as he hugged his black leather bag to his chest, curious eyes flitting to Tony's smiling face. As soon as the car stopped Tony exited and opened Loki's door.

"Well? he said, smiling at the silent, bruised, and tea soaked boy. Loki slowly stepped out of the car, green eyes curious. He was broken from his trance when a hand once again took his and pulled him down the curving pathway.

"Thanks for the ride Jarvis," Tony called. Loki glanced over as a tall blonde man with piercing blue eyes stepped out of the car.

"I'll be waiting here if you need me, Sir."

Tony gently guided Loki to the fence, allowing him to slip through the gap first then following suit. Loki glanced at the lake, smiling at the familiar sight. It was still breathtaking though he had seen it countless times. As he stared at the lake, Tony guided him to sit against the Weeping Willow.

"Snow White. Snap out of it for a second," Tony said suddenly as he moved to stand in front of Loki. The black haired boy held in a gasp when Tony kneeled between his legs and softly gripped his chin, pulling his face closer.

Loki watched in silence as Tony inspected the bruise and small cut on his face from the book, stretching from just under his eye across his cheekbone, to the hollow of his cheek.

"Man, he really got you, didn't he?" Tony said silently, tisking. He reached into his bag and removed a cloth, bottled water, and a discernible lump of black fabric. Tony poured the water on the cloth and dabbed carefully at the dried blood on Loki's cheekbone. Loki hissed and winced away slightly but Tony held fast and cleaned off his face, placing a bandage over it.

"Alright. Here," he said as he held out the black lump, a t-shirt, to Loki.

Curious green eyes flickered from the shirt to Tony and again. Tony said nothing, simply holding the garment out to Loki. Loki slowly took it and stood, walking across the clearing with his back to Tony. Tony surreptitiously watched as the boy unbuttoned his shirt, letting it fall onto the damp grass.

He quickly pulled on the t-shirt Tony had given him, smoothing it down. The shirt had AC/DC written across it in large white letters. Loki walked back over to Tony, sitting a careful distance from him on the grass. He stared at his hands for the next few minutes.

Finally, Loki stood, walking to the dock with his back to Tony. Tony followed, standing a respectful distance from him as he stared out over the scene before him. It was beautiful, the light of the setting sun reflecting in golds and pinks and fiery reds, casting a glow on the white lilies surrounding the border of the water. He looked to his silent companion, opening his mouth to speak, but froze. Tony stood, simply staring at Loki with wide eyes.

Loki consciously looked to the shimmering lake as he realised Tony was watching him, hoping to the Norns that the pink blush forming on his cheeks wasn't as visible as he thought it was. Tony moved closer to him, his eyes raking over Loki's slim form. The tight jeans he wore hung low on his sharp hips, the borrowed shirt just barely short enough to reveal a thin sliver of milky white skin. His shoulder length black hair was slicked back from his face, pronouncing his aristocratic cheekbones beautifully. His green eyes seemed to glow in the fiery light and Tony began to move closer reaching out an eager hand.

The moment was shattered when a voice boomed from a few blocks away, still fairly audible despite the distance.

"Brother! Where are you?"

Loki looked toward the voice with wide eyes before glancing to the sky. Without a thought he ran, slipping swiftly through the gap in the fence. Tony shook his head before scampering after him, ever-so-slightly disgruntled.

Tony raised an eyebrow when he spotted big, blonde, buff, and brawny Thor Odinson jogging along the pavement. He watched in confusion as the mysterious black haired boy, Thor's complete opposite, took his messenger bag from Jarvis, nodding politely. Thor looked to Jarvis and nodded.

"Thank you for taking care of my brother Sir."

"Of course," Jarvis said.

 _'Brother?!'_ Tony thought as he stared after the odd pair from behind a tree. Thor guided the smaller boy away. Loki glanced back toward Tony, his green eyes searching for the unusual genius before giving up and turning to look forward.

After they disappeared around the corner Tony slowly made his way to the car. He slid into the passenger side, his expression thoughtful.

"Huh..." Tony said before pulling his mobile out of his pocket, dialling a number quickly. "Hey Bruce. Yeah. Fine. Fine. Did you know Thor Odinson had a brother?"

………


	4. My Heart Will Go On

"Are you harmed at all?" Thor inquired. "I mean aside from the bruise. Fandral told me everything that happened. You really must be more careful not to trip like that Loki."

Loki sneered and stared at the houses they passed as they walked, jamming his hands into his jean pockets.

“Have I said something wrong?” Thor asked, seeing his brother pouting in his peripheral vision. Loki remained quiet, Thor eventually giving up and walking the rest of the way to their home in silence.

As soon as they came to the driveway Loki sprinted inside, ran to his room, and slammed the door. He flopped onto the bed, burying his red face into his pillow. How could Thor be so incredibly blind to his obvious mistreatment?

Loki sat up after a while. He bent forward to remove his boots when he realized he was still wearing Tony’s AC/DC shirt. He blushed furiously as he remembered the encounter. Before Thor had interrupted Loki could have sworn Tony was moving closer to him… Or maybe he was just imagining things.

He was brought out of his thoughts when Thor’s voice emanated from downstairs. He was singing while he cooked supper. Loki laughed bitterly as he let his boots thump to the ground, pulling his legs back onto the bed. He fell asleep to the sounds of Thor bellowing My Heart Will Go On.

………

“Thanks for dropping me off Jarvis,” Tony said as he exited the passenger’s side of the Audi. Jarvis smiled at him and handed him his book bag.

“Of course, Sir. Have a marvellous day.”

“I will.”

Tony Stark sauntered into Shield High, chin up and smirking haughtily. He was immediately greeted by the gaggle of popular people all competing for his attention. He greeted the group in general, not even attempting to remember names. When he spotted the familiar glasses and dark hair in the distance he excused himself from the circle and rushed over to the table in the far corner.

“Brucie! Hey! How’s my favorite lean green science machine?”

“Hey Tony,” Bruce Banner sighed, smiling tiredly but fondly at the barrage of nicknames. Tony smirked at his best friend, the first person he met at this godforsaken school he was forced to attend after his parents’ accident.

“So, anything on this mysterious brother?” he asked.

“Not yet. Sorry Tony. It isn’t easy to find someone without a name.”

Tony nodded in understanding. “Yeah. He just won’t tell me. I’ve never even heard him talk. I know he can, he just doesn’t.”

“Have you ever considered that you might intimidate him?” Bruce asked, only half serious. Tony contemplated this for a moment.

“I don’t really see him as being easily intimidated.”

“Who isn’t easily intimidated?” asked a new voice. Tony turned to face Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton. Natasha, chess champion, gymnast, Russian exchange student, and all around badass nodded to him as she sat in her usual chair. Clint followed, as per usual, and sat beside her. Clint was also an exchange student and a gymnast, but chose archery over chess. No one really remembers where he came from, all anyone knows is that he and Natasha are inseparable. Tony suspected something had happened to Clint that gave him seperation issues.

“Tony met some guy-”

“Imma stop you right there. Is he cute?” Clint asked, probably only mostly joking.

“Um… I’ve never really thought about it," Tony lied. "He’s tall…”

“Mmmh… Is he date material? You still haven’t asked anyone to the Winter Formal,” Natasha reminded. "And you of all people should know how many people are tripping over themselves to try and get you to ask them."

“Slow down. I’ve only seen him twice. I’ve never heard him talk and I don’t even know his name. I just call him Snow White.”

“Jesus,” Clint exclaimed. “What do you know about him?”

“Just that he’s apparently the brother of Thor Odinson.”

Silence passed over the table as all eyes turned to the direction of the jock table. Thor Odinson, big, buff, blonde, and brawny, laughed heartily as someone in his group gestured wildly, expressively retelling a story.

“Damn… If you do wanna date him let’s hope Thor isn’t protective… That guy could crush you like a grape.”

“Thanks Clint,” Tony deadpanned.

“Hey man, I live to serve.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am genuinely surprised at how well received this story has been. Thanks so much for reading you guys!
> 
> ~Mac


	5. Project Frostiron

"Hey Thor," a quiet voice called.

The jock glanced away from Sif, who had been retelling a story of her most recent victory in a school wrestling match, and grinned when he saw Steve Rogers.

"Ah. Hello Steven. Do you need something?"

The shy blonde looked to Thor, smiling. "Yeah. Maria sent me to say that your parents called. They can't pick you up today so your brother will."

Sif, Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg each shared distasteful looks at the mention of Thor's elusive brother. Thor's brow quirked.

"Did they say why they could not come?"

"Erm, something about visiting your grandfather for a month?" Steve said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Ah. Thank you Steven," Thor said with a smile, heavily patting Steve on the shoulder. Steve nodded and retreated away from the rowdy group.

………

"Did you hear that?" Natasha said with a smirk.

"Hear what?" Tony responded.

"Rogers talking to Thor. His brother is picking him up after school."

"… How did you even…? Normal people can't hear that far… are you human?" Tony exclaimed.

"Wait! The brother? Tony's guy?" Clint chattered excitedly.

"I mean I guess so-"

"That means we can all see him!"

Tony stared at Clint. He tried to argue but Clint simply continued to whisper conspiratorially to Natasha.

"Ugh... Let's go Bruce. I need some Science time."

Bruce chuckled as he allowed Tony to drag him to the Science Lab where they stayed for the next hour before their free period was over.

………

"Ok. This is a mission which requires the utmost stealth and secrecy," Clint stared seriously. "Operation Second Odinson is a go. The object of this mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to catch a glimpse of some fine blonde brother booty." he paced back and forth in front of Natasha, Tony, and Bruce. "Getting caught in our endeavours to spot a little Norse Hunky Man bod will result in-"

"Clint, if we wait any longer you might finally hit puberty. And nobody wants that," Tony snarked, stepping out of the impromptu line. Clint pouted momentarily before following Tony.

He grabbed Tony's shoulder as he was about to turn the corner. "Hey! Careful asshole or we'll be seen!"

"Clint. We attend school here. We don't have to sneak around just to see-"

"Thor's coming!"

"Shit! Duck!" Tony exclaimed, pulling them down. Four pairs of eyes watched carefully as Thor Odinson and his posse of jocks exited the school, talking loudly as per usual.

The rowdy conversation ceased as a figure on a black motorbike approached. 

 _'Black jeans, combat boots, green jacket… ACDC t-shirt…'_ Tony thought. He felt a weird sort of jump in his stomach.

"Is that him?" Bruce whispered.

"Yep," Tony responded confidently.

The motorbike pulled up beside Thor and the figure removed his helmet. Long black locks tumbled down, stopping at the strong but delicate shoulders. A pale, angular face shone in the midday sun and two acid green eyes flashed.

"Woah. He's… not at all what I expected…" Natasha admitted. Clint stared dumbfounded at the slim pale boy greeting Thor.

"How the hell is he related to Blondey Mc-Manly Man?!" Clint hissed.

"Brother," Thor greeted. Sif and the Warriors Three, as they were titled by the wrestling team, stared disapprovingly at the black haired teen on the motorbike. He simply smirked and flicked an inky strand of hair over his shoulder.

"Are we ready to go?" Thor inquired, oblivious to the happenings around him. The boy nodded and handed Thor a red helmet from the storage compartment, pulling on his own green helmet and flipping down the visor. Thor waved to his friends and they were off, flying out of the school parking lot at a near dangerous speed.

Tony, Bruce, Natasha, and Clint exited the bushes they had been taking cover in, an odd mixture of emotions showing on their faces.

"That was… odd," Bruce stated.

"He couldn't have been any older than Thor. Why isn't he attending here?" Natasha asked.

"And what the hell happened with their genetics? He looks more like Snow White than Boramir," Clint commented.

"Tolkien references? You are such a nerd," Tony stated. Clint blew a raspberry at him.

"Shut up. You do Science for fun."

"Science is fun," Bruce interjected. Tony whooped.

"Science Bros for life!"

Tony and Bruce fist bumped as Clint began to throw pencils at them.

"Alright alright. Boys. Cut it out," Natasha ordered firmly, still not quite able to hide the small amused smile curling her lips. "Now that we've seen the brother we need a plan of action."

"Nat's right. I say we have a Round Robin at Tony's place. To plan of course. Certainly not to just eat his food," Clint supplied, feigning innocence as Tony shot him a half assed glare.

"It's fine with me but what are we plotting?" Tony inquired, looking to Natasha.

"We're gonna get you and him together. Project Frostiron is a go!"

"Frostiron?"

"Yeah!" Clint replied. "Cause you're Iron Man and he's Snow White!"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Why not Project Iron Maiden?" he offered  Clint snorted, crossing his arms.

"This is not debatable, Stark."

………

 


	6. What's in a Name

The next few days at school passed easily for Tony, planning with the gang just how to execute Project Frostiron. Tony secretly decided to change his nickname for the boy, if only to spite Clint. He'd only been sent to the office twice this week, a record he felt deserved celebration. He was at that moment walking to the courtyard to meet his group when the familiar silhouette of Steve Rogers captured his attention.

"Hey! Rogers!" he called before really even thinking.

"Erm... Yes Stark?" asked the shy quarterback, staring at the elusive teenaged tycoon confusedly.

"You and Thor Odinson; you two are buddies, right?" he pried.

"I... I guess? I mean we work together and study together sometimes but..."

"Where does he work?" Tony said with an incredibly straight and serious expression before he could stop himself. Steve stared at the genius, slightly perturbed by his odd question.

"Um... The Marvel Cafe. Why?" Tony didn't reply. He simply stood there, a grinch-like grin spreading across his face. "Erm… Stark? Tony?"

"Yeah. Thanks Captain Tight Pants. That's all I needed." Steve scrunched his nose at the nickname and nodded, continuing on down his path, probably going to the office to help Maria sort paperwork.

………

Tony sat in a chair beside Bruce and Clint, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Tony?” Bruce said, his brow creased slightly with worry. He waved a hand in front of his friends face, jumping back when Tony grabbed his wrist.

“I know how to find him.”

The occupants of the table stared at Tony oddly, a mixture of worry and confusion.

“That came out creepier than I had intended…” Tony commented. “I meant that I asked Rogers where Thor worked. I have a plan.”

“Erm, Tony… How about we hold off on the pebble throwing balcony scene until you actually know his name, yeah?” Natasha offered, an immaculate brow raising.

“No. Hear me out, Nat. I heard from a, ahem, reliable source, that Thor the Golden Boy is in need of a bit of math help. I’m going to offer my services.”

“Dude. Don’t say it like that. You make it sound dirty,” Clint whined, his face scrunched up.

“Shut up.”

“Alright. And if this somehow works, how is this going to lead to you getting fresh with his brother?” Natasha inquired blandly, stirring her soup.

“When Thor’s busy with mathy stuff, I’ll go talk to him. It’s worth a try.” Tony smiled as no opposition was offered and picked up his bookbag. “Awesome. Who wants to go to the Marvel Cafe with me after school?”

……… 

Thor whistled as he scrubbed down the front counter. It had been a surprisingly easy day. First thing in the morning Loki allowed Thor to ride his beloved motorbike to school while his car was in the shop. Loki hated when he even looked at that thing. After school the day had brought on a steady flow of customers. The cafe was surprisingly calm for a Friday and Thor was thankful. They needed more staff.

Thor glanced up from his task when the bell on the door rang, signalling the entrance of a customer. That customer just so happened to be Anthony Stark followed by his odd selection of friends. Thor had only seen the young billionaire in the cafe a few times before. He gave large tips and was mostly polite albeit a bit snarky and flirtatious.

The genius approached the front counter, staring up at the menu. “Hello and welcome to the Marvel Cafe. My name is Thor. What can I get for you today?” Thor asked with his usual toothy grin.

“Heeeeey,” Tony drawled. “So I’ll take a beef shawarma, easy on the lettuce, and a black coffee. Then whatever they want,” he stated, pulling out his wallet.

Thor took down the orders and smiled. “And may I have a name for that order?” Stark opened his mouth to answer but his blonde friend, ' _Clint?_ ', Thor thought, interjected with a smirk.

“Frostiron. One word.” The two behind them giggled as Stark rolled his eyes and payed.

“Here is your change. Thank you and have a mighty day.”

“Yeah, before that,” Tony interjected. “I heard you needed a math tutor? I’d be happy to help.”

Thor blinked, staring at the eccentric young billionaire.

“... Ah. Well… I suppose that would be alright."

"Great. When would you like to start?”

“I have Sunday off. Would that do?” Thor questioned, trying to keep the confusion from showing too plainly on his face.

“Awesome. Sunday at your place or mine?” Tony asked.

“Erm, mine."

“Ok. Awesome. Anything I should be made aware of like pets or... ancient rituals?”

Thor laughed good naturedly. “Just my brother's cat. You should tread lightly around him. He is a vicious creature.”

Tony looked surprised for a minute before returning to his pokerface. “O-ok. Cool. What’s his name? Er- your brother I mean. Not the… cat.”

Thor glanced up at Tony as he stuttered, but happily replied: “Loki.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a name has been revealed. Oooooh! I'm such a dork. New Chapter soon. 
> 
> Also, Gay Marriage has just been legalised throughout America! WHOO!
> 
> ~Mac


	7. Cinnamon, Apples, and something Freshly Baked

_‘Loki… Loki… Loki... ‘_ Tony repeated in his mind. It fit him well. It sounded so soft and lilting but still sharp with a hint of playful mischief.

“Hey Jarvis, I’m going to a, erm, friend’s house on Sunday. Would you mind helping me fix the Audi?”

Javis snorted playfully, shooting Tony a look. “What else would I have to do?”

“I dunno… You are allowed to make plans you know. Go find a woman. Or a man. Or a pet. Something.”

Jarvis huffed a laugh as he went about preparing supper. “So have you since spoken with that boy?”

Tony’s face flushed pink. “I… erm… no.”

“That’s a shame. He seemed like an exceptional young man.”

Tony stared at Jarvis, expression questioning. “How would anyone know? He never speaks.”

Jarvis chuckled. “He spoke with me. Just before he left with his brother. He thanked me for the kindness and told me his name-”

“Wait. You knew his name!?” Tony exclaimed.

Jarvis grinned roguishly. Tony flopped back onto the curved couch and groaned.

“Jesus Christ...”

………

Saturday could not have passed by more slowly and Tony was finally there, standing in front of a quite nice two story house at 1978 Prose Edda Road. It was perfect, nicely painted with a shingled roof, a white picket fence, a great sturdy oak tree standing tall beside it, and a mailbox with the surname Odinson scrawled proudly on the side.

Tony closed the door of the Audi, clicking the manual lock button and pocketing his keys. He made his way to the front door and took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.

After a brief minute the door swung open to reveal a small black kitten. Tony stared down at the creature, a brow raised.

"Hi there," he greeted, leaning down to pet it.

 "I would not suggest touching it," Thor said as he appeared from behind the door. "It's evil."

The kitten hissed at the blonde wrestling champion before scampering out of the house.

"Oh dear. Cat!" he yelled after it. "Cat!"

Tony jumped as a whistle pierced the air. He glanced up towards the second story window as it had seemed to come from there but he couldn't see past the branches of the oak tree.

The kitten stopped running immediately and turned to look. When it had apparently spotted the source of the noise it scampered to the tree, swiftly climbing it. Two pale arms reached out of the window, gently picking up the kitten from the thick oak branch and pulling it inside.

"Was that-" Tony started, pointing upward.

"That was my brother. He seems to be the only thing in the entire realm that that cat likes."

Thor sighed, shaking his head. "My apologies for the excitement. Shall we go in?"

Tony nodded and followed behind Thor.

"I appreciate you coming over to help and I'm sorry the place is such a mess. Loki decided to flood the downstairs bathroom last night."

Tony held in a surprised laugh as he glanced around the house. Towels littered the floor and multiple fans were scattered throughout the place. Candles wafted the nice scent of cinnamon and apples and something freshly baked, just hiding the smell of damp carpet.

"Is he prone to doing that?" Tony asked, trying hard to repress the sound of amusement in his voice.

"Sometimes when he's bored or protesting something my father said or did," Thor answered curtly. "But worry not. He mostly keeps to himself. Shall we begin?"

"Er, yes. Let's."

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter is short. I apologise. I've actually finished the story. I'm just proof reading it and making changes accordingly. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! It makes my heart happy to see that people actually enjoy my ridiculous stories!
> 
> ~Mac


	8. Vanilla, Tangerines, and Leather

It was nearly an hour since Tony had arrived. So far he had taught Thor how to graph coordinates, the Pythagorean Theorem, and exponents. The jock seemed to be picking up the lessons easily enough.

"So you got it?" Tony asked patiently.

"I think so," Thor said, tapping his pen against his chin. "So you take y and multiply it by 102. 102 cancels itself out and it becomes 26x=102+y?" Tony looked over Thor's work, frowning slightly.

"We'll work on it," he said, standing and stretching. Thor nodded before his blue eyes stopped and stared at something just behind Tony.

"Brother. I wasn't expecting you to come down," he commented with a smile. Tony froze in place, his eyes wide. Silence passed over the room, only the sound of the fans and the purring of a kitten.

"Ah. I should introduce you two, shouldn't I?" Thor said more to himself than anyone else. "Loki, this is Anthony Stark. Stark, this is Loki, my younger brother."

Tony turned to face the silent boy he had been waiting to see, automatically correcting, "Please. Call me Tony."

Loki, as was his name, stared at Tony with large green eyes, pink dusting his aristocratic cheekbones. The black kitten in his arms ceased playfully batting at a strand of his inky hair, instead glancing over to Tony with two bright green eyes. Tony inwardly chuckled as he looked from one set of emerald orbs to another. _'Pets really do look like their owners,'_ he thought before feeling something touch his leg.

He looked down to see the kitten Loki dopplegänger rubbing against his leg before draping itself over one red and gold converse. Thor gaped.

"He's never done that before…" he half-whispered. Loki watched carefully as Tony leaned over, letting the tiny kitten sniff his fingers before nuzzling against his palm.

"He's beautiful," Tony laughed. "What's his name?"

"His name is Khoshekh, but I usually just call him Cat," Thor stated. Tony chuckled as the kitten sniffed his finger, nipping playfully. He carefully picked him up, holding him to his chest and scratching his tummy.

 "Khoshekh. That's a good name," he commented as Thor once again gawked at him. _'Talk about drama queen.'_

Tony looked up at Loki who was still watching him, looking for all the world like a jaguar seizing up his prey. Tony approached the stoic boy, holding out the purring kitten. Loki took Khoshekh from him, letting the tiny kitten crawl onto his shoulder and bat at his long black hair. Tony looked straight at the slim boy, sharing a secret smile with him.

"Nice to meet you Loki," Tony said with a grin, holding out his hand. Loki gazed down at it with a raised brow before turning away and rushing back up the stairs.

"I apologise, Stark. Loki's never been the most social person."

"Please. Call me Tony. And it's fine. I'm sure he'll open up eventually. So where were we?"

………

Loki opened the door of his room, his cheeks taking on a shade of deep red. Anthony Stark. Again. He seemed to be everywhere. Was it simply coincidental or... No. It couldn't have been. He'd seen the grin.

Loki sighed deeply, willing himself to forget the way those soft brown eyes gazed at him, absently petting Khoshekh as the small kitten perched himself on a particularly fluffy pillow.

"Why in the nine do you like him so much?" he whispered as the black kitten nuzzled lovingly into his long fingered hand. A rare smile appeared shortly on Loki's lips. Khoshekh purred loudly as if he realised the value of that smile and was proud to have brought it to his master's usually somber face.

Loki stood with a sigh, Khoshekh happily dozing off on his favourite pillow. The black haired boy stripped off to change into his pyjamas, or really his pair of green and black flannel pyjama bottoms and Tony Stark's AC/DC shirt.

He exited his room, walking into the bathroom across the hall and turning on the sink. He could almost hear Thor flinch at the sound of running water, chuckling as he reflected on yesterday's antics. Loki quickly washed his face, blindly grabbing the towel on the bar beside him and softly patting the water away.

When he pulled away the towel he jumped back in alarm. Tony Stark stood before him, silently smirking as he looked over Loki's form.

"Nice shirt," he commented snarkily, raising an eyebrow. Loki automatically looked down at the mentioned garment, biting his lip. The shirt was slightly too short for his long frame, displaying his smooth stomach and the much too low hang of his pyjama bottoms. Loki flicked a damp strand of black hair over his shoulder, moving to go around Tony. Tony put his arm up, effectively blocking Loki's exit.

"Wait a minute. I just wanted to talk."

Loki stared at the tanner boy, his lips pressing into a hard line.

"You can talk, can't you Bambi?" Tony asked with a smirk. Loki glared at the genius, trying once again to go past him. Tony blocked his movement, grabbing the slightly taller boy by the shoulders and pushing him back gently against the counter. This close, he could smell Loki's strong scent of vanilla, tangerines, and leather; it was intoxicating.

"What have I done to make you not like me? I thought we were getting along pretty well before today," Tony inquired, his tone gentler than before.

Loki's eyes were wide as he stood pinned between the bathroom counter and Anthony Stark.

"Loki? Hey, I know you can talk. So talk to me."

Loki shoved roughly at Tony's shoulders, sprinting into his room. Tony followed close behind, calling out for him to wait. Loki flung open his bedroom window and nimbly jumped onto the thick branch of the oak tree, climbing down well before Tony even got to the window.

"Wait! Hey wait!" he yelled as he watched Loki's retreating form disappear around the corner. Tony sighed. "Well... that could have gone better."

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise your hand if you know where the name Khoshekh is from! I'll be incredibly happy if people know!
> 
> ~Mac


	9. Hawkward

Tony flopped down onto his bed, exhausted and all mathed out. It was shocking to him how long it took someone to realise that you couldn't find x by multiplying it by y before balancing the sides. Then again, Tony had completed the Uni Maths courses at age 12 out of sheer boredom.

"Hey Jarvis," Tony called.

"Sir?" his faithful butler answered from the other room.

"How do you tell if an antisocial Scandinavian mute likes you?"

"… I hope that was rhetorical, Sir."

Tony rolled his eyes and huddled under his covers, resolving to fix it later. As of now, sleep was his top priority.

………

Loki sighed as he climbed back through his window just as the sun began to set. He nearly fell right back out when a throat cleared. He looked up, completely shocked as his wide eyes landed on Frigga.

"M-Mother!" he stuttered, quickly jumping off his window sill and dusting off his clothes.

"Loki, where were you?" Frigga asked softly.

"Just on a walk, mother. I'm sorry I was so late."

Frigga smiled and walked forward, kissing her son's forehead. "Don't worry dear. I won't tell Father."

Loki smiled as he hugged his mother. "You're back early. I had been told you'd be gone for a while," he commented.

"Well plans change. I wanted to speak with you. How would you like to start going back to school?"

………

Tony smirked as he pulled into the student parking lot, his newly painted car shining proudly. He strutted into the school and prepared himself for the usual mob of gold digging popular kids. When none came he glanced around confusedly.

He raised a brow and pulled down his sunglasses, staring at the gaggle of giggling girls and flirting boys as they surrounded some other poor unfortunate soul. He moved closer, curious to see their new fixation.

"So you're new?"

"Your hair is so pretty! Can I touch it?"

"Where are you from?"

"You're freakishly hot!"

"Your cheekbones are amazing!"

Those were among the many sentences attacking the victim of their attention.

Tony gaped as he realised the new object of their infatuation was indeed Loki Odinson. Loki looked alarmed, though he was doing very well at hiding it. He flinched every time a hand reached out to touch him. There were at least three girls stroking his hair and cheekbones and hanging on him, a few boys sending him sultry gazes. Tony, quickly resolving to help, shoved through the group.

"Ah! There you are! I've been looking all over for you. C'mon."

Loki stared at Tony with wide eyes. Tony gave him a smile that looked friendly but communicated clearly to Loki:

"Come with me if you want to live."

Loki nodded, silently giving Tony permission to go through with his rescue plan. Tony wrapped his arm around Loki's shoulders, guiding him away from the gaggle.

Once the two were a decent distance from the now confused groupies, Tony turned to Loki.

"And you are home free. You're welcome."

Loki nodded his thanks, adjusting his now slightly wrinkled shirt.

"You should know from now on to be careful around them. They see anything new and interesting, they'll latch onto it."

It was no wonder they'd gone after Loki, the way that he looked Tony was sure he'd do the same with his tight black v neck t-shirt, black skinny jeans that hugged his long legs, his usual pair of combat boots, and a leather jacket with quarter length sleeves and silky green lining. Tony self consciously dusted off his own brown leather jacket and continued on down the hallway.

"Don't just stand there Bambi. C'mon. Before they come back."

Loki followed quickly, having to slow his usual pace for Tony's shorter legs. Tony chattered absentmindedly as he led Loki down the corridor. Loki ignored him in favour of glancing about the halls; he looked perplexed.

He'd never even set foot in SHIELD High School before today. His mum had him removed from Asgard Public Middle School early in his 7th year. He slowly tuned back into Tony's idle chatter when he heard the words:

"My friends are dying to meet you."

He reached out and gripped Tony's shoulder, giving him a confused and slightly suspicious look.

"Of course I talked to my friends about you. You're the first person I've met who hadn't been impressed by my bullshit. Aside from Nat. You'll like her."

Loki sighed resignedly as he allowed Tony to drag him into the lunchroom. It was much quieter than he'd imagined it would be, the only people there either eating or doing their schoolwork. Tony led him quickly to a small group in the corner, grinning madly.

"Guess who's here," he said rhetorically. The three glanced up at them with mixed expressions. The brunette boy smiled kindly, the red haired girl smirked knowingly, and the blonde boy gawped openly.

"Guys, this is Bambi-" Loki cut him off with a sharp glare. "Ok. Loki Odinson. Loki, this is Robert Banner," he said as he motioned to the brunette boy in purple.

"Call me Bruce," he replied, shaking Loki's hand.

"This is Natasha Romanoff."

The red haired girl nodded approvingly. Loki returned the nod.

"And this is Clint Barton. Ignore him. He's an asshole."

The blonde boy squawked indignantly. Loki's shoulders twitched with a silent voiceless chuckle.

"Well it's good to meet you. Tony's told us a bit about you," Bruce said with a smile. Loki nodded softly.

"You look absolutely nothing like Thor," Clint blurted followed by a yelp as Natasha punched his shoulder.

"There is a reason for that," stated a loud voice. Loki stiffened as two large hands landed on his shoulders. Thor laughed as he gripped his brother's shoulders.

"I'm glad to see you've managed to find some friends so soon, Loki. You don't normally bother with people at all."

Loki nodded tensely, refusing to turn to face his brother.

"Well, I should return to my friends. Thank you for helping him," he said to the table before turning and retreating back to his own group. Loki visibly relaxed.

"Well that was… That was super… Hawkward…" Clint said. Natasha rolled her eyes heavily. Loki looked confused at the joke he didn't understand.

"I'll explain later," Tony whispered to him.

"Loki Odinson?" a voice called out. Loki turned to see Steve Rogers holding a clipboard and glancing around the lunchroom. He raised his hand, catching the blonde's attention. Steve smiled at him and walked over.

"Hey. So you're Thor's brother. I've seen you before, but I'd just never made the connection. I'm Steve Rogers. I'm a student aid and I've been sent to show you around the school."

Loki nodded and began to follow Steve out of the lunchroom. He glanced back at Tony with a slight smile, turning away just in time to have missed the genius' face go red.

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was indeed… Hawkward…
> 
> I'm sorry. I'll leave now. 
> 
> ~Mac


	10. Spare Me From the Lunchroom Drama

"May I see your schedule?" Steve asked politely. Loki nodded and handed over a slightly crumpled paper. "Let's see… so you have Coulson for homeroom, Von Doom for Maths, Fitz-Simmons for Science, Fury for Social Studies…" he mumbled. "And Ward for Physical Training… Good luck with him. He's a bit dodgy."

Loki nodded his understanding.

"You don't seem to talk much… Is everything alright?" Steve asked with slight concern.

Loki blinked, contemplating silently and glancing around the hallway. Seeing no one but him and Steve he breathed in and answered softly, "Nothing. Just… nervous."

Steve nodded with a small smile. "Alright. Well it looks like we share the majority of classes. Let's head to Homeroom. Mr. Coulson's pretty cool. You'll like him."

Loki let Steve lead him down the hall to their first lesson, allowing him to chatter excitedly about whatever he pleased. When they arrived they were immediately bombarded by a wave of students. All at once they were surrounded. They seemed more interested in Steve than anything so Loki slipped quietly away to find a seat.

A hand gripped his shoulder suddenly. Loki turned back to see a very tall blonde girl with acid green eyes smiling at him.

"You're pretty. Are you new?" she questioned with a sickly sweet smile. Loki sneered softly, pulling back. He opened his mouth to bite back a scathing insult when a slightly attention-flustered Steve intervened.

"Oh. Amora. This is Loki Odinson. He's new."

Amora's eyes raked over Loki's form. She let out a disbelieving yip of laughter. "Loki? Could it possibly be true?"

Loki scowled deeply.

"Well, Trickster, you've certainly changed. And for the better I must say. What happened to that greasy, spotty, bony-"

Before Amora could continue the door swung open, Mr. Coulson sweeping in.

"Sorry I'm late everyone. Some asshole keyed Lola."

The class chuckled collectively before taking their seats. Amora reached out to grab Loki's arm but Steve was faster, leading Loki to sit in the desk beside him. Loki glanced at him, nodding his thanks. Steve acknowledged him and turned to face forward, already preparing his notes.

………

Lunchtime couldn't have come sooner and Tony sighed in relief as he fled Professor Xavier's classroom. He was itching for some conversation other than Clint arguing harshly with Coach Wade Wilson in sign language while Foggy Nelson whispered their progress to Matt Murdock.

Tony shoved tiredly through his fanclub to take his usual seat in the lunchroom. He grinned when Bruce appeared, flailing wildly to display to his friend his boredom. He and Bruce were deep into a debate on the potential secret relationship between Coach Wilson and Mrs.Thurman when Tony spotted familiar black locks.

Loki entered the lunchroom hesitantly, glancing around with a frown. Tony started to stand when suddenly a commotion rose from the other side of the room.

"BROTHER!" Thor bellowed, grabbing not only Loki's but everyone else's attention. Loki tried admirably to ignore Thor, clutching his books tightly to his chest, but the crowd had parted and everyone seemed to be looking at him questioningly.

Thor, grinning as brightly as ever and sauntered to his mortified brother; he was followed closely by Sif and the Warriors Three as well as Amora. Thor dropped his giant hand onto his brother's shoulder, his smile widening.

"Mother only said you'd be here. I didn't realise we'd be in the same grade!

Loki whispered something to Thor, seemingly straining not to flush bright red. Tony stood for a better view as the other occupants of the lunchroom leaned in to look upon the younger Odinson. Whatever he said made Thor laugh his bellowing laugh, slamming him on the back and sending his books and bottle of water to the floor. Thor barely looked guilty as he apologised.

"I'm sorry brother. I'll grab you a towel. Hold on."

Thor ran off to the kitchens, leaving Loki alone with Sif, the Warriors Three, and Amora. As everyone else went about their business, Loki knelt on the ground to pick up his slightly damp books with a deep scowl.

"Aw. Don't frown, Princess. It's only a little water," Fandral teased as he leaned down over Loki. "Or are you still scared from that last time-"

Loki hissed like an angry cat and moved away from Fandral, holding his books tightly to his chest. Volstagg laughed as Loki bumped into him, shoving him by his shoulders. Fandral caught him by his arm, leaning in and playing with his hair.

"Don't be so fussy Princess. If you're good we'll-" Fandral finished his sentence at a whisper against Loki's neck. Loki drove his elbow into Fandral's gut, scrambling out of his hold as he doubled over. The other boys, Volstagg and Hogun, stepped forward, grabbing Loki. Sif grabbed his books, smirking mockingly as she threw them out of the window beside them.

Fandral sneered and approached Loki. He swung his fist, hitting Loki in the gut. He laughed viciously as Loki sunk in on himself, trying to shield himself from any further damage. Fandral pulled back his fist again, preparing to strike again when his arm was grabbed and yanked behind his back.

"Woah now. Why so serious?" whispered a voice in his ear. Fandral glanced back straight into the blank eyes of Natasha Romanoff. Fandral moved to grab her but was interrupted as another pair of hands gripped his other arm. Clint Barton.

"Hey man! Why so serious?"

"I already used that one, Clint," Natasha stated.

"Dammit!"

Volstagg began to advance but was knocked back by a kick from Natasha.

"Listen," Fandral hissed. "Just let us deal with this and-"

"Not likely, asshole," Tony stated as he approached. "Didn't I already tell you guys to never attack in a crowded place?" Tony smirked in amusement at their expressions. "Now, play nice and let go of him."

Hogun wisely released Loki first, followed by Volstagg. Loki sunk slightly, holding his stomach in pain.

"What is going on?" Steve Rogers inquired as he approached the scene.

"Ah. Captain America! I need a favour! Sif here accidentally dropped Mr. Odinson's books out that window. Would you be so kind as to escort her downstairs and have her fetch them for him?" Tony asked.

Steve frowned in understanding and motioned for Sif to follow him, leading her away.

"Now," Tony said as he turned back to the rest of the group. "I hope we've learned a valuable lesson today."

"What lesson would that be?" Fandral sneered.

"The lesson is-" Tony cut himself off, throwing a hard punch and landing it on Fandral's jaw.

"Don't touch my stuff."

Tony patted Fandral's cheek with a grin before moving to Loki and pulling him up, leading him away.

"You alright Bambi? That was a pretty hard hit."

Loki stayed silent, staring moodily at the ground. Tony cleared his throat nervously.

"Well… erm… if anything like that happens again, don't hesitate to call me, ok?"

Loki paused, waiting a long while before turning to look at Tony. He looked almost angry. Before Tony could speak Loki leaned in and placed a quick kiss against his cheek before running off and disappearing into the crowd. Tony stood dumbstruck as he stared straight forward, reaching up to touch the place Loki's lips had been.

"… Son of a bitch…"

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah the drama! It happens when I write while listening to Phantom of the Opera. So sorry. 
> 
> ~Mac


	11. Yes

He did it. He kissed Tony Stark. Sure it had been on the cheek and had hardly lasted a second, he probably crushed his nose against his cheekbone, and he may have hit him with his hair as he turned to run, but it was still a kiss, and still perfect in his eyes.

Loki took care to avoid Stark for the remainder of the day, riding home quickly and rushing up the stairs. The bruising had just begun to appear on his abdomen from the encounter in the lunchroom. They'd most likely told Thor he'd run off in embarrassment. No one in the lunchroom would dare tell the truth for fear of the wrath of the Warriors Three. Loki would expect no less. He didn't mind. He had kissed Tony Stark!

"Good first day, darling?" Frigga asked, knocking softly on Loki's door.

"Y-yes, Mother. It was fine."

"Thor told me what happened at lunch. You really should be more cautious when the floor is wet. Is your stomach bruised?"

Loki rolled his eyes. Of course they said he'd slipped. It was always the easiest lie to pass off. _"Oh dear. Poor clumsy Loki has fallen and hurt himself again. Protect him! He's awkward!"_

Loki started when his mother cleared her throat. "I-I'm fine, Mother. It's nothing," he lied smoothly.

"Alright dear. Supper is in two hours. Remember that Father's game is on tonight."

"Yes Mother."

Loki sighed as his mother's footsteps retreated down the stairs. He reached over, slowly petting Khoshekh. The small kitten purred happily, nuzzling his hand. Loki smiled softly before standing. He pulled on his t-shirt and boots and grabbed a blanket before opening his window. Khoshekh hopped through the window and onto the branch. Loki climbed out behind him, scaling down the large tree. He held out his arms and caught Khoshekh when the kitten jumped down.

With his companion padding along beside him, Loki walked the short way to his park. Khoshekh beat him to the Willow Tree, already kneading the ground for the perfect spot before he had even slipped through the fence.

Loki placed the blanket over the dead grass, sitting and allowing Khoshekh to curl up in his lap as he removed Jane Eyre from the knot in the tree. He flipped to the bookmarked page, the beginning of chapter five, and began reading while petting Khoshekh.

"Hey. Dontcha know it's impolite to start early?"

Loki jumped violently, upsetting Khoshekh with his sudden movement. Tony chuckled at Loki's shocked expression.

"What? Thought I'd skip out on our little book club?"

Loki's befuddled expression was answer enough.

Tony chuckled and reached down, picking up Khoshekh gently and scratching behind his ears. Loki adjusted slightly, easing back into his previous position. After a minute he clicked his tongue and the kitten leapt from Tony's arms into Loki's lap to curl up and nap once more. Tony chuckled.

"Well trained cat."

Loki patted the ground beside him, signally Tony to sit. Tony grinned and sat down, much closer than Loki had meant him to. Loki sucked in a breath as their knees brushed, internally slapping himself. He pointedly refused to move away, simply opening the book and beginning to read again. He smirked at the whine Tony made when he turned the page too early for the genius to finish the line.

They sat in companionable silence before Tony finally interrupted it.

"You kissed me," he stated as if reading the local weather report.

Loki calmly marked their place in the book, pointedly not looking at Tony.

"I… I've been wondering pretty much all day why you did it. And… if it would ever happen again. God I am so stupidly nervous right now. Why do you do that to me? It's only you. You're the only person in the world that can make me stupid like this. It's honestly not fair."

Loki glanced up from the ground, looking directly at Tony's face. Tony immediately flushed red, sputtering.

"See? You see? It's happening again!"

Loki held back a laugh, his hand covering his mouth. Tony's eyes flashed and his hand rose slowly, gently grabbing Loki's wrist and moving his hand away.

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you smile for real. I bet you're beautiful."

Loki quirked his eyebrow.

"… I-I mean you're usually beautiful. Your smile probably makes you even more… Oh my god I'm such a dork."

Tony stood quickly, walking towards the dock. Loki moved Khoshekh gently onto the blanket and followed him. They stood side by side for a good long while before Tony turned and grabbed Loki by the shoulders, speaking quickly before Loki even had time to react to the sudden contact.

"Ok. Listen. There's this Winter Formal dance thing at school and it sounds really stupid and lame but if you want you should go. W-with me. As my date. To the dance. We can meet here and then… go… If you want… Please respond before I embarrass myself further."

Loki stared at Tony in surprise, blinking. He stayed silent and still for what seemed like forever before looking directly at Tony, leaning into him, and whispering:

"Yes."

He placed a quick kiss on his cheek and sprinted away, grabbing the blanket. Khoshekh followed behind and shortly after they had both disappeared behind the fence, leaving Tony standing with a shell-shocked look on his face.

After a full minute staring out over the lake in utter shock, Tony pulled his arm in and fist pumped into the sky.

"YES!"

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long to upload. I've been trying to fix an issue with this story. 
> 
> ~Mac


	12. Iron Maiden?

Loki climbed through his window with a lazy grin on his face, pulling Khoshekh inside and closing it. He flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. He'd done it again. He'd kissed Anthony Stark again. And he was fine with it. Oh gods.

He was going to the Winter Formal with Anthony Stark. He internally screamed. Anything could happen there. What if Tony asked him to dance? What if they kissed? What if Tony kissed him?

Loki paused in his thoughts to internally cringe at his behaviour. Gods he was getting sickeningly moon-eyed.

Loki jumped slightly at the knock on his door.

"Loki? Brother? Are you in there? I saved you some supper if you want it."

Loki smiled softly, getting up to open his door. Thor grinned at his brother.

"Ah! I thought you were ignoring me for earlier."

Loki shook his head and took the plate from Thor, going to sit on his bed. "Something amazing happened, Thor."

Thor looked at his brother questioningly as he sat beside him. "Oh?" he inquired excitedly.

Loki nodded with a dazed smile.

"Well are you going to spill or keep it to yourself?" Thor quedtioned, interested in what could have put his usually cynical brother is such a happy mood.

"Promise not to tell anyone?" Loki asked suspiciously.

"I cross my heart, Loki. Now tell me!"

Loki contemplated for a moment before saying: "I've been asked to the Winter Formal."

"What?" Thor half yelled. "By whom?!"

………

"You asked him? Tony that's great!" Bruce praised over the phone.

"But did he say yes?" Clint inquired, clearly still half asleep as it was 23:30 and a school night.

"Well…" Tony stalled.

"Tony. If you actually called us at 30 minutes to midnight on a school night just before an important test to tell us he said no, I will go to your house and strangle you to the very edge of death with your own testicles," Natasha growled sleepily.

Tony laughed nervously to fill the sudden silence as all of the males on the party line collectively shuddered.

"No need to do that. Ever. He said yes."

"Congratulations! Now we can all go back to sleep," Bruce commented.

"Wait! Did he actually say it or just nod or something?" Clint asked, suddenly much more awake.

"Erm. He kinda whispered it and…"

"And?" Clint pried.

"And he kissed me…"

"Seriously?" Natasha said.

Clint continued his line of questioning, hardly stopping for a breath. "Where? When? For how long? Cheek, lips, or-"

"Jesus Christ Barton why are you so invested in my love life?"

Clint snorted. "Please, Stark. You know very well I live vicariously through you. Now spill the details!"

"Tomorrow! I'll tell all tomorrow at lunch. Let's just all go to sleep!"

Sounds of agreement came from the other lines before everyone said their goodnights and hung up.

………

"MUM! DAD! LOKI HAS A RICH BOYFRIEND!" Thor bellowed as he raced down the stairs, pursued by a mortified, red-faced Loki.

"Thor! What on earth?" Frigga began but was interrupted as Thor began to run around her, laughing madly as Loki failed to catch him.

"LOKI'S GOING TO THE FORMAL WITH ANTHONY STARK!"

Loki finally gave up in his pursuit of Thor, slumping in defeat into his favourite leather armchair.

"Loki! Why didn't you say something? This is wonderful news!" Frigga chirped excitedly. Loki sighed in embarrassment under the scrutiny of his family.

"It's really not that big of a deal."

"Nonsense!" Frigga stated. "After school tomorrow we'll go shopping for your suit! You're going to look so handsome! Oh don't mope Thor! You're coming too! Oh we have so much to do! Should we cut your hair? No! You look so handsome with long hair!"

"Mother! Please! Don't have a panic attack!" Loki admonished. Frigga chuckled, scooping him up into a hug.

"I'm just so excited for you dear. It's like a real Princess story."

"Yeah! Loki's Snow White and Stark is Ironman! Together you form… Iron Maiden!" Thor said, smiling proudly at his own joke.

Loki rolled his eyes. "Why not Frostiron?"

"This is not debatable, Loki!"

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yesssss. Almost done. I really hope you guys like this story. 
> 
> ~Mac


	13. Gonna Be Dressed to the Elevens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive the dreadful pun in the chapter title. I know. I know. It's awful. I couldn't help myself.

When Tony had arrived at school, he felt invincible. He glided past his soul-sucking fanclub and into the lunch room, breathing in the mostly clean air. It was then that he was ambushed by something large and blonde.

"Stark. We must have words."

Tony gulped as the red-faced Thor Odinson dragged him right back out of the lunchroom as if he were chastising a cat.

"Woah woah woah! What did I do this time? Is this because of the thing with your wrestling gear. I swear the pink will wash out! It was only a stupid jok-"

"Be silent. I care not about the colour change. I wish to speak to you about my little brother."

Tony paused his prattling to stare at Thor confusedly.

"Your brother?"

"Is it not true that you have invited him to the Winter Formal as your date?"

"N-no! I mean... Yes I did, but not… I mean… I like him but-"

Thor let out a hearty laugh, slamming Tony on the back.

"Please. Calm yourself. I am just here to make sure you know that," Thor paused, leaning close with a suddenly threatening glare. "If you hurt him in any way I will have you put on a breaking wheel."

Tony glanced up at Thor with a confused and slightly shaky expression.

"What's a breaking wheel?"

"I'll tie your limbs to the spokes of a large wooden wheel and spin the wheel very very slowly while simultaneously smashing your limbs with an iron hammer."

"Ah… Great… I'm just gonna, erm, go that way…" Tony waved nervously before slowly edging away into the lunchroom before Thor could see the sickly shade of green his face had taken on.

"Hey Tony! Where ya been?" Clint called out.

"Christ Tony. You look like you've seen a ghost," Natasha commented.

"Thor Odinson just promised medieval torture if I do anything to hurt his brother."

Natasha and Clint glanced between each other, back at Tony, then back at each other before bursting into laughter.

"We actually just talked to Loki. He told us Thor might do that," Natasha said with an amused snicker.

"Wait, he spoke to you? What did he sound like?" Tony asked excitedly.

"What? I thought he said yes. Like… aloud. With words," Clint clarified.

"He whispered it. I didn't really get to hear his voice. Is he loud like Thor? Does he sound like him at all?"

Clint and Natasha exchanged another glance before Natasha answered.

"Not really. His voice is pretty soft and smooth and deep. He's English like Thor though but he sounds a bit more… upper class I suppose."

"He's super classy. You got lucky," Clint translated.

"What's that supposed to mean Barton? Do you not think I'm classy?"

"Dude. You are the most disgusting person I've ever met in my entire life. I've watched you eat five year old stale cheetos with chopsticks."

Tony huffed dramatically. "Well then. Let's see if you're tweeting the same tune when you can no longer come to my house and steal my food."

"You have a point there. An excellent point indeed."

"Damn fuckin straight."

………

Loki sighed in slight exasperation as his mother dragged him relentlessly about the shopping centre. She claimed it was for him but Loki was beginning to highly doubt that as she continued to dress him up in anything and everything she saw. She was probably the harshest critic he knew, flicking her eyes over the newest suit she's put him in and spewing out her judgment in rapid-fire Norwegian.

It took nearly two hours for her to be satisfied with Loki's appearance, stating he looked like a prince. As Loki looked over himself in the mirror he realised she was right. He really did look quite regal. The suit they had finally settled on was a deep almost black blue with a lighter richer blue as a lining. It had nice silver buttons and came with a slim black tie.

Loki smiled at his reflection, content with their choice. He just hoped Tony would like it.

………

Tony was panicking. Like, seriously tearing his room apart in utter terror panicking. It was the night before the Formal and he couldn't find his suit jacket. He, Jarvis, and Bruce had searched everywhere but no matter what they just couldn't find it anywhere.

Finally, after nearly an hour of searching, Javis had informed Tony he would go out and purchase a new one. He had taken Bruce with him as the other genius hadn't been able to purchase his own suit.

As a result, Tony was left alone with his thoughts. That was never a good thing. He began to think of Loki. What if the black haired boy had regretted saying yes to him. He hadn't even looked at Tony since that night. What if he regretted kissing him? Tony shook his head, banishing his paranoid thoughts. Nothing bad was going to happen. Everything would be absolutely perfect and amazing and fine.

_Boy was he wrong._

_………_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry for taking so long to update. I got really sick. I'm better now though so back to regular updating!
> 
> ~Mac


	14. There is No Honour in Drowning a Cat

Loki grinned as he descended the stairs, Thor and Frigga waiting at the bottom. Thor glanced up and grinned, looking distinctly proud.

"You look fantastic, Loki. How did mother manage to convince you to wear anything other than black?"

Frigga slapped Thor's arm and hushed him but Loki just laughed.

"You're one to talk, brother. I'm shocked Mother managed to sway you from wearing that bright red monstrosity you call a tux."

Thor snorted. "Shut up. Jane didn't like it so I picked out a different one. By myself," he added at Loki's pointed look. "So is Stark picking you up or am I driving you?"

"We're meeting somewhere. I'll see you at the dance. Say hello to Darcy, won't you?"

And with that Loki was out the door.

………

Tony looked over his reflection appraisingly with a smirk. Damn he looked good. Not that he was narcissistic or anything. Well… ok. Yeah he was. But what's not to love?

Bruce rolled his eyes at his friends antics, smoothing over his black suit and green and purple tie. Tony had tried to convince him not to wear the tie but Bruce had insisted that Betty liked it.

"So Brucie, who do you think Rogers is going with since the mighty Thor is off the menu?" Tony casually inquired.

"I'm pretty sure I heard he was going with Barnes."

"Really? Captain America and the Winter Soldier? Crazy combo."

"I think they were childhood friends before Bucky moved to Russia. Since he's back I guess Steve just went for it. It's like you said, Thor's off the menu and everyone knows Bucky had a thing for him."

Tony smirked. "I love it when you gossip. You never used to."

"I know. You've corrupted me."

"And it's beautiful," Tony sighed reverently.

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Don't you have your Prince to meet?" he said with a fake frown.

"Love you Brucie!"

"Meh!"

………

Loki was so excited by the time he reached the park he just couldn't help but smile. He sat down on one of the swings, leaning his shoulder against the chain and rocking slightly. He hadn't known Tony Stark for long; he knew everything was happening fast, but he couldn't care about that even if he wanted to. For once, everything seemed to be perfect.

Not a moment after that thought had occurred, a cough broke the silence. Loki glanced up, slightly startled and caught off guard.

His smile disappeared immediately as a snide voice rang out, loud in the small, otherwise empty park.

"Aw. Look at him boys. A true Princess now, waiting for his Prince to sweep him off to the ball."

Loki stood, shifting quickly into a defensive position. "What do you want, Fandral?"

Fandral laughed. When the others didn't join him, he shot them a scathing look. They quickly jumped in as well, joining him in his amusement and jeering at Loki.

Loki backed away slowly, now standing behind the swing.

"We just wanted to make sure that you were ready for the dance. Heaven forbid you go looking anything less than perfect," Fandral stated, almost sounding sincere except for the fact that he had a wicked smirk stretched across his face.

The three were closing in on Loki slowly. As soon as they were near enough, Loki grabbed the seat of the swing and hurled it forward, hitting Volstagg square in the jaw. They looked briefly shocked before Fandral yelled:

"Get him!"

Loki raced to the fence, slipping through the planks and sprinting to the tree. He watched as Volstagg was caught in the slightly too small gap, the other two grunting with effort to shove him through. Loki used that time to run the rest of the way to the willow and try to climb up. He was moderately high up when a hand closed around his ankle and yanked him down. He grunted as he hit the hard ground, immediately trying to get back up but he was halted by arms that began dragging him across the ground.

Loki kicked as hard as he could, landing a good hit on Hogun before his legs were grabbed as well.

"The Princess is misbehaving. What should we do about this?" Volstagg asked with a wicked grin.

"I think a nice swim in some brisk water would do him a world of good."

Loki struggled harder, panicking. Terror ripped through his body as they began dragging him toward the lake. He tried to call for help but was silenced by a hand covering his mouth. He sunk his teeth into the hand, tasting blood. He gasped in pain when his hair was pulled.

In one last attempt to get away he screamed for help, but his scream was cut off when he was suddenly submerged in icy water. He struggled and thrashed but no matter what he did he only sank lower. He watched in horror as the shadows of Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg disappeared. They had left him when they had realised what they had done.

Finally, Loki was able to grab hold of something solid. He held fast and pulled himself up, gasping for air as he emerged. He dragged his numb, soaked body onto the surface, coughing wildly. It felt like forever before he was confident that he could stand again, but as soon as he was able, he rose and sprinted, not stopping till he was home.

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty much the focus of the Cinderella AU bit. 
> 
> And don't worry Loki, I can't swim either. 
> 
> ~Mac


	15. So This is Love

Tony arrived to the park slightly later than planned. He winced at the thought of Loki having to wait there in the cold, but shrugged it off as he entered. When he stepped into the clearing where the park was he frowned. Where was Loki?

"Hello? Bambi? You there?"

No answer came. He walked over to look through the gap in the fence, but there was no sign of him there either. Tony shrugged and seated himself on a swing, pulling out his phone and telling Bruce to turn off the car. He fiddled with his red tie as he waited, adjusted his arc reactor cufflinks Jarvis had bought him as a joke gift. He really hated waiting, but for Loki it would be worth it.

His mindset had changed however when an hour had passed and the black haired teen was nowhere to be seen. He sighed sadly but resignedly, sweeping his gaze once more over the area before rising and heading back to the car.

………

Loki slammed the front door of his house before collapsing onto the couch in tears. How could they do this. He knew they were cruel but he never realised to what extent. Loki looked over his once beautiful suit, now muddy, soaked, and torn apart. He choked back a sob, internally chastising himself for reacting like he was. He never cried.

Loki wiped at his tears as a knock sounded through the empty house. When he didn't answer, the knocking grew more insistent. Loki begrudgingly pulled himself off of the couch and opened the door a crack. There on his doorstep were Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton carrying an abundance of bags.

"Hey," Natasha greeted softly.

"Did you call for a Fairy Godmother, Cinderella?" Clint asked snarkily, grunting and apologising when Natasha drove her elbow into his side.

Loki stared at the two in utter confusion.

"What is this? Why-"

"Hey. We'd love to explain… inside… where it isn't cold… if that's ok with you," Clint said with an abundance of sarcastic pauses.

Loki hesitantly allowed them inside, closing the door softly behind them and quickly wiping his eyes.

"Damn. Those jackasses really did a number on you, didn't they?" Natasha commented, looking over Loki's torn up suit. Loki's eyes widened slightly at her words.

"How do you kn-"

"We heard them bragging about it," Clint half growled.

Loki stayed silent after that, looking away.

"Well we can fix this," Natasha stated.

Loki glanced up as the two reached into the numerous bags, removing the contents and spreading everything out over the coffee table. Loki stared in surprise, his tears immediately returning.

"You… I…"

Natasha raised her hand to halt him.

"Thank us later. Now let's get you ready for the ball, Cinderella."

………

To say that Tony was crushed would have been an understatement. As soon as they had arrived at the dance, Betty Ross had swept Bruce away, leaving Tony all alone. He was literally alone in a crowded room.

"This is some straight up Taylor Swift shit right here," he grumbled as he made his way to the punch bowl in the corner. Thor grinned at him, his arm around Jane Foster, Tony's old lab partner.

"Stark!" he greeted jovially. "Where is my brother? He said you were meeting somewhere."

"He erm… He didn't show," Tony replied, attempting to look nonchalant. He apparently failed miserably if Thor's crestfallen look said anything.

"I am sorry to hear that. He seemed excited when he left. He isn't usually one to stand anyone up."

Tony shrugged. "I guess I'm just a special case. Hold on a minute," he said as his phone buzzed. It was Clint. He sighed as he clicked accept and held the phone to his ear.

"This is Stark."

 _"Tony,"_ Clint said, actually sounding serious. _"Listen, Loki didn't ditch you, ok? He's with us right now. He was attacked."_

"What?!" Tony half yelled, grabbing the attention of quite a few people. "Who attacked him?"

_"Who the fuck do you think? Those dickheads the Warrior Three or whatever they call themselves. They beat him up and threw him into the lake!"_

"When I see them I'm gonna fucking kill them."

_"Not if Nat gets to them first."_

"Tony, what's wrong?" Bruce asks as he slips up beside him.

"Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun beat Loki up and threw him into the lake."

"Holy shit! Is he alright?" Bruce inquired.

"Clint and Tasha are with him."

 _"Don't worry. He's ok. We'll be there soon."_ And with that Clint hung up.

Tony slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned to see Thor with an enraged expression.

"Oh fuck," Tony whispered. Thor pulled away from Jane slowly, his face reddening with fury. It was that moment the Warriors Three walked through the door, laughing obnoxiously. Thor stalked over to them; when they spotted him they greeted him happily. Not seconds later their expressions morphed first into concern then into fear.

"You," Thor hissed. "How dare you. Not only did you beat my brother, you also… You know full well he cannot swim! Was it you all those other times as well? Whenever he'd come home with a black eye or bloody nose and you would swear he'd tripped or knocked into something. You must've thought I was so thick."

As Thor spoke he slowly became louder and louder. Fandral raised his hands in surrender.

"Thor. You're overreacting. It was just a bit of fun. He's not harm-" Fandral was cut off when Thor's fist slammed into his jaw.

"Leave. Now. Or you will get much worse than that."

The three boys heeded Thor's warning, rushing out of the hall as fast as they could, tripping over each other and everyone else in their escape.

………

Loki actually emitted a gasp when he saw himself. He had looked good in the blue suit. In this one he looked… otherworldly. The deep black material hugged his willowy figure, the green lining complimenting his pale skin tone incredibly. The green tie matched his eyes nearly to the shade. His usually slicked back hair was left loosely hanging around his face in thick waves, framing his cheekbones.

Natasha smiled a rare smile at him as she stepped into the room, smoothing down her dark red dress. Clint came in to stand beside her, still failing miserably in his attempt to tie his purple tie around his neck.

"I think we're all ready to go boys."

………

Tony twiddled his thumbs impatiently. Now that he knew Loki hadn't actually changed his mind, he was dying to see him. After Thor had clocked Fandral the dance had pretty much gone back into full swing. Clean-cut Steve Rogers was actually smiling and laughing as he was pulled to the dance floor by the very scruffy and sketchy Bucky Barnes. Wanda Maximoff and her brother Pietro were dancing side by side until a freshman approached Wanda and shyly asked her for a dance. Pietro pushed her along, encouraging her to go as he waited for his own date.

Even some of the teachers were dancing. Coach Wilson was currently twirling the photography teacher Mr. Parker who looked only slightly embarrassed at his attentions. Mr. Lehnsherr was even swaying Professor Xavier's wheelchair in an imitation of dancing.

Tony glanced up when Bruce elbowed him in the side. He stared at him questioningly; Bruce pointedly motioned to the entrance. When Tony followed his gaze he was struck dumb because there was Loki, looking for all the world like a Prince. A god. When their eyes met across the room, time seemed to slow. Green gazed into brown and Tony melted.

He set into motion, pushing through the crowd of dancing people. He stopped to stand just in front of Loki, sweeping his gaze over him in wonder.

"You look… wow," Tony breathed.

"Well that was eloquent," Clint snarked as he walked in with Natasha.

"Clint shut your whore mouth," Tony said with no real hostility, only staring at Loki.

Clint snorted as he walked to greet Pietro, leading him off to god knows where to do god knows what. Natasha patted Tony's shoulder, bringing him close to whisper in his ear.

"He likes ice cream and Shakespeare. I'm sure you'll think of something." She smirked as she walked off to meet with Maria Hill, flashing Loki a quick thumbs up.

"My friends are awesome," Tony whispered to himself before turning back to Loki. Loki was smiling. Full on smiling. He looked absolutely radiant and Tony couldn't help but smile back.

"I… um… I'm really glad you're ok. I waited a little over an hour for you to show at the park. I thought you had changed your mind and decided not to go with me after all…"

At Loki's crestfallen expression Tony realised what he had said.

"But I'm glad you didn't! I really wanted to go with you. Here. And. And talk to you and everything. I heard somewhere that you sound nice. Your voice that is. I wouldn't know. I haven't really heard it and-"

"Anthony."

Tony ceased his babbling to stare at Loki. He had just said his name.

"Yes?" Tony responded softly, eyes wide.

"You talk too much," Loki stated with a smirk before calmly taking Tony's hand and leading him to the dance floor. At first the dancing was awkward; at least, for Tony it was. He had no idea where to put his hands, whether Loki would be alright if he was forward or if he should just take it slow. He'd never been this nervous with girls.

Ever.

Loki finally grabbed his hands and guided them to his waist, rolling his eyes almost fondly. Loki was nearly flush against him now and Tony could feel the warmth of his breath against his cheek every time he exhaled.

"Hey Bambi?" Tony said softly. Loki hummed in response. Tony breathed in deeply before proceeding.

"Will you actually read aloud to me now?"

Loki huffed a laugh and it was the most beautiful sound Tony had ever heard.

"I'm gonna take that as a yes."

Loki stopped swaying with Tony, simply looking at him. Tony returned the gaze, his eyes raking over Loki's angular face. Without a thought he leaned in, closing the distance between them and placing his lips against Loki's. Arms wound around him and Tony deepened the kiss, reaching up to caress Loki's cheek. When they finally broke apart Loki's lips were swollen and a delightful red colour. Tony smirked. Loki mirrored his expression and pulled him back in, continuing to sway with him.

"I promise to read aloud if you promise to stay with me."

Tony beamed at Loki's unsure expression. "As long as I can do that again. There's nowhere else I'd wanna be."

The couple happily ignored Clint's shout of "Just fuck already!", content to sway in each others arms for the remainder of the night.

"And to think this all happened because I saw some weirdo reading a romance novel in a park at midnight."

 

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. All done! I'm thinking of making this a series. I apologise for including my own ships. I couldn't help it. 
> 
> If you want you should go check out my other stories!
> 
> ~Mac


End file.
